If you are having general anesthesia, do not eat or drink anything for at least 8 hours before the procedure.

Talk to your doctor about your medications. You may be asked to stop taking some medications up to one week before the procedure.

Anesthesia

You may have
general
or local anesthesia. You will be asleep with general anesthesia. Local anesthesia will numb the area. In this case, you may also be given a sedative to help you relax. The type of anesthesia used will depend on your procedure and general health.

Description of the Procedure

There are three main components of the procedure:

Lifting the Skin of the Nose from the Bone and Cartilage

The nose will be injected with a numbing medication and epinephrine. The epinephrine will prevent excessive bleeding. An incision will be made either inside the nostril or outside the nostril, across the ridge between the nostrils. The skin will then be lifted off the cartilage of the nose.

Remodeling Bone and Cartilage

Depending on the desired outcome, some nasal bone may be removed, or fractured and reset to a new shape. Cartilage may also be trimmed. Other techniques involve placement of tissue grafts of bone, cartilage, or mucosa from the patient, a donor, or a synthetic graft. They will be used to help remodel the shape of the nose. For example, the tip of the nose may be narrowed or raised, or the slope of the nose may be reduced or increased. The shape or size of the nostrils may also be changed.

Redraping Skin Over the New Base

When the procedure is finished, the incisions will be closed. The skin will be redraped over the new bone structure. The skin will be tightly taped to keep it in place. A protective metal splint will then be applied on the outside of the nose. It will help to maintain the positioning during healing. Either soft plastic splints or gauze packing coated with petroleum jelly will be used as nasal packs. They may also be inserted into the nostrils as support during healing.

How Long Will It Take?

About 2-4 hours

How Much Will It Hurt?

Anesthesia will prevent pain during surgery. Pain and discomfort after the procedure can be managed with medications.

Average Hospital Stay

You will most likely go home on the same day.

Post-procedure Care

To help ensure a smooth recovery:

For the first few days after surgery, rest in bed with your head elevated to reduce swelling.

Apply ice packs to your nose during the first 2 days. This will help to relieve discomfort.

Take prescription or over-the-counter pain medications as directed by your doctor.

Do not blow your nose at all during the first week. Do not blow your nose forcefully for one month.

Protect your nose from any injury for 8 weeks. Do not wear glasses. Be careful when washing your face.

Stitches will be removed after the first week. Nasal packing will be removed after 1-2 days. The splint is worn for 1-2 weeks or more. Numbness, swelling, or bruising of the surgical area and around the eyes may occur. Expect swelling and bruising to worsen over the first several days after the surgery. You can also expect some bleeding from the nose, headache, and a feeling of nasal congestion. After the swelling and bruising have lessened, expect full healing in about 3-4 weeks.

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

Signs of infection, including fever and chills

Persistent elevated temperature

Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision site

Pain that you cannot control with the medications you have been given

Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, or severe nausea or vomiting

Any new symptoms

In case of an emergency, call for medical help right away.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.